"Things come hard will be more appreciated"

Once answering to the interview, Rick Warren shared his insights on life: "No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for." I totally agree with him.

The due day of Kairos' birth according to the doctor went, Thuan and I had to wait for the day according to God, Thuan and I and Kairos' heavenly Father. Waiting is always an umcomfortable experience. Kairos' two grandmas came just to be there when we were worriedly and eagerly longing to see our baby. God's perfect time came as our his name, Kairos, God's appointed time. I was so sure that I was going to experience a natural delivery. Nervous. Worried. But excited. After 5 hour laboring, the nurse hurrily brought me to delivery room, telling me that everything went so fine and I could deliver Kairos after some more spasms of pain. That's great! God had strengthened me throughout my delivery would surely sustain me these moments. I kept all my breath in my mouth, saving for the last effort when that time came.
Just 5 minitues entering the delivery room, amniotic fluid in my tummy flowed. After the doctor checked. To my fear, he said I needed to go through a surgery due to baby's unconvenient position. They needed Thuan to sign a contract in agreement for me to be operated. I was not prepared for this at all. In pain, a series of question came to me: Why? Why a surgery? Why couldn't I deliver my baby normally? I don't want to be operated. Since my birth, I never had an injection, why now operation? If I accept to be operated, is that an act of submission or lack of faith? What does God really want me to do now? I asked the doctor twice if I could try to make it naturally. The answer was no.

After wrestling with God and myself in pain and shock, Thuan and I decided to trust God for whatever would happen. The surgery went very well. God gave me the peace of mind, expecting my Kairos. Just after few minutes, I heard a crying. It's my baby! It's Kairos! The assistant nurse took him to the adjacent room. I silently saw my baby from far, my tears just overflowed..! There is God's given gift to us, Kairos and here I am, still alive!

Although to avoid pain many women nowadays tend to prefer having an operation than a natural delivery, going through an operation was not what I expected. However, I have seen God's grace upon me through all of these. No matter how unexpected things came before I could see Kairos, there was actually many things good I could thank God for.

Moreover, I thank God for He has used that event to help me feel my family's love in a deeper and a more real way. And now the more I think about Kairos and how God has brought all things work together for our own good, the more I treasure Kairos and appreciate God's work!

"Things come hard will be more appreciated!"

~Kairos, Daddy have to be away for a week!~

A lake in Hanoi

After a week busy and happy with our new born baby, Thuan got an invitation to teach in a pastoral class, very far from home. Thuan took it as a new chance and I saw it as a new move - a ministry expansion. So without any hesitation, Thuan left to respond to God's open door and I continued in discovering of being a mom with Kairos and his Mom.

A week passed more slowly than I thought but it was a great week for Thuan. He had a great time with 20 students who pastoring churches from 700-15000 members. They are tribal. They received God as a village. Tribals have a very simple faith in God. They are softer and more sensitive to God than so many God's children in other modern parts of the world who have higher education and know more techinology.

I thank God that He has provided for Thuan that such opportunity to impact on these devoted leaders. We need more leaders such them, we want to have more churches like those. May God give us more opportunities to serve our people.

Mommy, Baby, and Valentine's Day!

Thuan still remembers Valentine's Day!

After Kairos' birth around a week, Thuan got invited to travel 2000km away from home to teach in a training course for tribal pastors. He missed Kairos more than me this very first time (of course Mommy not jealous!). He came back one day before Valentine's Day, great, he still remembers. A sweet Valentine for both Mommy and Baby! It was a chance for us to thank God about Kairos, God's gift for our love for each other after more than eight year in our relationship. We know that the love of our King Jesus is the central and the foundation of our family. Praying that we will live and love like Jesus.

Kairos - God's gift came in person

There are no ways in which we can express how grateful we are to God for you, Son. You are precious! You are our treasure! It was so hard for us to wait for your birth when your due day was over and it was tough to accept that Daddy needs to sign the contract for Mommy to be operated in the last minute because your unconvenient position during the labour. However, God is good in all! We praise God for you and your existence. You are a perfect gift of God for Daddy and Mommy.
Mommy cried over and over in expecting your birth and then came to acknowledge God's awesome work when your grandpa discovered the blessing of your birthday.

You were born in 1.30.09 at 16:00 pm. So when you think of your birthday, just remember Psalm 139:16, which says,

"Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your

book before one of them came to be."

Praise Him! This is the verse including in your "countdown to your birth calendar" (Dec5, 2008 entry).

You are Kairos! You are God's appointed time!